You’re a Failure and Will Never End Up to Anything (So They Said)

You’re a Failure and Will Never End Up to Anything (So They Said)

The first four years of my life living in the United States were perhaps some of the toughest during the last two decades.


I’m a second generation immigrant. My father immigrated to the United States in 1990 for the hope of freedom, opportunity, and ability to give a life to his children unlike the one he had. Living in a country at that time full of communism and tyranny it became quite obvious to him that the future did not look so bright. He knew though that things would tough first before they got better. His plan was to venture out and seek out new horizons. And, so he did with an airplane ticket and $400 USD in his pocket.

For many people this would’ve been classified as a suicide mission. Deserting a family and venturing out to find higher grounds. That didn’t seem to stop my father though in pursuing new horizons many saw as pure act of insanity.

Freedom, Opportunity, & Better Life for my Family.


The next three years from October 1990 to December 1993 seemed like an eternity. At the age of 10, any kid would’ve been confused about the course of their family direction. As a matter fact, I was a bit clueless if you ask me.

On January 16, 1994 we arrived to the New World. The land of the free, opportunity, free will, and ability to achieve anything you set your mind to (or so they say). I stepped onto a foreign territory four days before my 14th birthday and immediately began questionable about the future. What’s a 13/14 year old to think at such age about the move to a new country? I was completely clueless and had no idea what was really going on.

Naturally, getting signed up for middle school was the next step. Time to start blending in, meeting new people, and making friends. Easier said than done. Only problem was that my English wasn’t quite jiving. I knew only a few basic words but wasn’t enough to even establish a basic conversation. So, I went on a mission to learn English and in the next three months did just that. Being the new kid in school and one that naturally is of different ethnicity and culture was quite unsettling with majority of my so-called ‘new peers’.

You’ll Never Amount to Anything.


Harsh words, right? Imagine those being shared with a 14 year old kid and trying to make sense of it. My 8th grade experience of 1994 was horrible. I dreaded getting up in the morning to prep for school. I dreaded getting on the bus knowing I’d be laughed at and looked down upon. I dreaded going into class, P.E., History, and especially English. My teacher at the time made a valiant attempt to help me but perhaps a bit too aggressive on most occasions.

I’m Different but Completely OK with That and Would Not Change a Single Thing About It, EVER


It became obvious to me rather quickly that I was simply different. Different views, principles, morals, and values. Kids at that age couldn’t simply comprehend the nuances of that. Somehow deep inside me I knew that this indeed was true and it would be extremely hard for me to change their perception. My 8th grade experience quickly came to an end. I focused on what matter, did what I was asked, and simply followed orders. In the interim did everything I could to master my English speaking skills and become a bit more sociable.

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The High School Years

One year down and many more ahead. Getting the 8th grade experience and unwanted peer pressure and bullying was more than plenty for me to handle. Let alone comprehending the idea of high school. Keep in mind that the son of an immigrant family was significantly unprepared for high school. No realistic expectations. A completely raw experience lied ahead and I was scared shitless.

Being a freshman in high school was a completely new experience for me. Neither of my parents experienced anything remotely similar in the New World. So, I went along with a lot of things and attempted to make sense of it. By 9th grade, some of the peer pressure and bullying slowed down but still remain intact. At the end of the day, I was an immigrant and simply couldn’t fit in with the cliques. Probably one of the reasons why I struggled with conscience issues, self-confidence, and ultimately the ability to expand my true potential. Like any other kid, I felt that I had it in me to play sports and be more proactive but the language barrier and cultural differences were prohibitive of accomplishing those things.

High school was a breeze. I remember my senior prom and that was probably one of the highlights worth noting. Other than that, there were many regrets and misfortunes that I didn’t care to register in my mind for eternity. For example, eating lunch by yourself or surrounded by the “uncool kids” wasn’t exactly a positive high school experience for me. Even to this day I remember those moments and think about how one day I’ll guide my own kids in a direction that will give them a positive experience.

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The Horrible College Experience

I have a basic two-year college education. Never really was an A student. If anything, getting Bs was a struggle in itself but in majority of cases I was able to squeak thru with those just fine. My parents criticized me for that but to this day I reflect back on that criticism and actually thank them for it.

Being a “B” Student Is Completely Acceptable for Me & Would Not Have it Any Other Way


I sucked at school for the most part. The language barrier in itself gave me plenty of challenges to deal with. Add the cultural differences and it turned into a complete hodge podge situation. Even to this day, I get people who tilt their heads when I tell them that I’m multi-lingual and born in Eastern Europe (Bulgaria). It’s like they get a brain fart. If that wasn’t bad enough for the longest time people misconstrued Bulgaria with Bolivia. Really? Must be geographically challenged.

I’ve not gone back to college in pursuit of a Bachelor’s Degree or an MBA even to this day. Perhaps in the near future though once I’m capable of leveling out my current solopreneurship endeavor. The entire American education system is limping even to this day. Students are unprepared for the reality and demand of today’s highly demanding business world.

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A New Career in Search Marketing

After high school and the two years of college I really didn’t do much of anything. Lack of inspiration, clear direction, and being completely undecided as to what my career path should really be. My guidance counselors in high school made every attempt to provide guidance but nothing really seemed appealing to me. In college, my advisor made an attempt to steer me towards a career path but that didn’t really work either.

Then, in 2006 simply by the luck of the draw I noticed that a local franchisee was looking for a Search Engine Marketing specialist. An entry-level position if anything. So, naturally it sparked my interest mainly because technology has always been and integral component of my personality being a tech geek. In all honesty, little did I know at the time that this was the beginning of a lifelong career. Something that neither I was prepared for or even anticipated.

I started to learn the ropes. Became a Google AdWords Advertising Certified Professional and at the time a Yahoo! Small Business Marketing Solutions Ambassador. Even though 2006 was completely mesmerizing and a life changing experience, I remained clueless as to how this skill set would change my entire life. Being a quick learner, I caught on quickly and soon offered a chance for advancement. This took me to the corporate world where to this day I refuse to make a return. Let’s just say that it wasn’t my cup of tea.

The great opportunity that to this day I cherish is the ability to manage a $1 million annual marketing budget. At the time, I was the only person driving this intiative through Google AdWords. Insane, right? Reflecting back on those days I still think that if there ever was flexibility in sight I’d have hired my own dedicated team to help me steer such large ship.

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The Coming Years Past 2006 and Evolution of My Career

The Search industry continued to evolve. Demand for SEO/SEM experts was on the uprise. This high demand took me into the agency world. In the St. Louis area this gave me a great opportunity to work with reputable agencies, create new relationships, build a digital service offerings, and help expand marketing departments. Life was good! Demand was high and my skill set was being recognized. Not only that but my success due to Strategy, Implementation, and Execution played a vital role in my differentiation with competition.

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Current State of Events

Looking back at January 16, 1994 it has been a long journey. One that was full of many ups and downs, positives and negatives, sleepless nights, and countless headaches. I wouldn’t change a thing about it though. If anything, I reflect on all the negativity and bullying I experienced from people what I’ve not spoken with in probably a decade or so. In some retrospect, if I ever ran into them would probably feel a bit sorry for their degrading behavior but make an attempt to maintain a positive approach.

I don’t toot my own horn often but when I do it’s a reflection of my successes due to hard work, sweat, and plenty of hustling. As it stands, here’s my current involvements and successes.

  • Serve as a board member on the UMSL (University of Missouri-St. Louis) Digital Media Marketing Advisory board. Now for over two years
  • The current adjunct instructor for the Strategic Search Engine Marketing course as part of UMSL Digital
  • I’ve worked with clients such as Charter Communications, True Manufacturing, Audible to name a few
  • Acting President of Social Media Club of St. Charles. Part of a global non-profit organization with over 365 global chapters
  • A sought-after LinkedIn Pulse contributor and ranked in Top 5% of global profiles in 2013
  • Active Medium contributor and loving every minute of it

As of January 2015 I’ve officially ventured out on my own as an independent Digital Marketing Strategist & Consultant and currently loving every bit of it. I believe that the nearly two decades of digital marketing experience and a decade of professional interaction have really helped me excel. While many other doubted me or thought that I was incapable of making anything out of myself in the end I did the complete opposite.

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I’m a newfound solopreneur riding the current thrill of digital marketing. A lifelong learner, networker, people person, and explorer of new challenges. I prefer to work with individuals and brands who believe in strategy, planning, and targeted execution.

Want to work together on a project? Give me a shout or visit my website www.digitalwebstrategist.com